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Instructors
Helping you every step of your surf journey!
Zane Reed
Instructor, Owner of Big Surf Adventures
Zane Reed is the owner of Big Surf and one of our most frequent instructors. Zane started Big Surf with a wealth of knowledge and a diverse background: over 20 years of surfing the West coast and various waves around the world, almost a decade of coaching experience in tennis and lacrosse, as well as holding numerous mentor, camp counselor, and volunteer positions over the years. He pours his heart into every lesson to give students a totally radical experience, nurturing growth in the water, mind, and heart. He is a proud new father, and has more than enough patience to meet everyone's needs. Zane has lifeguard training and is CPR Certified. On occasion when the waves are just right, Zane will extend the lesson and surf side-by-side with students as a bonus because he genuinely loves watching and teaching people to learn to surf.
Abraham Wolfinger
Instructor
Father, coach, and local who was born and raised in Big Sur. Master’s degree in education, currently teaching freshman at Monterey Highschool. He has strong community values and supports many local youth sports programs. Abraham says “I aspire to unfold mind’s, and help people to reach their full potential.” He’s surfed his whole life, and genuinely cares about the sport while ushering in the next generation of surfers. Inspired by the likes of Jacques Cousteau and Jack Kerouac to become the adventurer he is today, Abraham often says the ripples of our interactions and accomplishments will touch the lives of people long after we are gone. He is an amazing surfing instructor and is available most weekends and evenings.
Héctor Mendieta
Instructor
Héctor is originally from Chile, South America, and started surfing in the cold waters of the South Pacific in the year 2000. He has had the privilege to live, travel, and surf in several different countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Brazil, and has called California home since 2018. Bilingual in English and Spanish (and conversational Portuguese), Héctor is a language teacher at the Salinas Union High School District as well as a surfing instructor for Big Surf. He says, “For me, surfing is more than just a sport or a hobby; it is a discipline that allows you to express who you really are, and I try to pass that knowledge to all my students, whether they're in or out of the water.”
Samantha Waldroup
Instructor
Samantha Waldroup is a passionate ocean steward and has been surfing since the age of 9. She has 3 years of experience with surf instructing, and has worked extensively with ocean education programs for children relating to exploration, safety, and board sport knowledge and is CPR/Lifeguard Certified. She loves tailoring her teaching style to all ages and experience levels, and is outgoing and communicative throughout lessons. She loves helping students achieve their surfing goals, watching them catch their first wave, and sharing the stoke. She is currently pursuing a Humanities & Communications degree at California State University, Monterey Bay and hopes to continue surf instructing for as long as she possibly can.
Makena Horne
Instructor
I was raised by a meteorologist and a surfer, and I've been surfing since before I could swim in Hawaii. I’ve since continued surfing throughout my entire life, been teaching surf lessons since I was just a child. It has flourished into a wonderful career path for me!
Kodey Sommer
Instructor
I’m 19 years old and I love teaching people how to surf! Surfing to me is so much fun, once you get to stand up on the board it’s a feeling I can’t even describe, it just makes you feel on top of the world. I am currently going to college but also shredding waves any day I can!
Vanessa Show
Instructor
Vanessa Show has explored and surfed the California coast. She previously lived in Humboldt County and Hawaii, but is originally from Huntington Beach. Vanessa enjoys having an active lifestyle and has a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. She was a jiu-jitsu coach before she transitioned into education. She teaches 5th grade in Salinas and has a passion for the community. Surfing is her favorite pastime, and she loves sharing the love for the water with others.
Alex Ahuja
Instructor
Alex is a senior at Stevenson High School in Pebble Beach, and he moved to Monterey Bay in 2014 from Tennessee. Since the move the ocean has been a huge part of his life whether it be surfing, freediving or fishing. He has been a surf instructor for a combined two years from working as a camp counselor and teaching for big surf. He also has experience coaching lacrosse and football, and loves to share his knowledge on the things that he loves with other people. His goal while working at big surf is to spread the joy that surfing brought him to new watermen and women across the state.
Sean Fanoe
Instructor
I have been avidly surfing for over 5 years . I grew up in the Monterey area and surfing has been one of the best parts of my life. I love being in the water and going out to surf with friends. I'm excited to educate and share my experience/love of surfing with new students.
Antonio Lisandro
Instructor
I’m Antonio and I’m an ISA certified surf coach. I love teaching people how to surf, I’m a personal trainer and I enjoy having an active lifestyle. I love teaching other surfers how to improve their technique using effective training such as surf skate, tactical fitness and steel mace training systems. In my free time I volunteer at veterans surf alliance sharing the stoke of surfing.
